Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das has launched the ‘Bhimrao Ambedkar Awas Yojana’ for widows, the 125th birth anniversary of B R Ambedkar. A target of 11,000 units (houses) has been set in the current financial year for the programme. A sum of Rs 80 crore has been earmarked in the budget for it.

• Addressing a programme on the occasion, Das said Rs 75,000 would be granted to build a house in districts in hilly terrains and Rs 70,000 in plains and the amount would be distributed among the beneficiaries in three installments in their bank accounts.
• The widows would also get pension.
• Das said the Commission for Schedule Caste would be set up soon.
• Ambedkar had drafted the Constitution and its specialty is that even a common man could hold the highest post as it inspires to work rising above class, caste and creed, he said, adding its objective is to create equality and harmony in society, ensuring all round development.
• Das appealed to the people to ensure cleanliness and asked parents to send their children to schools.

Did You Know?

• Jharkhand is a state in eastern India carved out of the southern part of Bihar on 15 November 2000.
• The city of Ranchi is its capital while the industrial city of Jamshedpur is the most populous city of the state.
• Jharkhand is represented by 14 seats in the Lok Sabha and 6 in the Rajya Sabha.
• Jharkhand has been at the centre of the Naxalite-Maoist insurgency. Since the uprising of the Naxalites in 1967, 6,000 people have been killed in fighting between the Naxalites and counter-insurgency operations by the police, and its paramilitary forces.